


False Alarm

by Purna



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen, M/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-03-10
Updated: 2007-03-10
Packaged: 2018-12-04 09:45:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11552586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purna/pseuds/Purna
Summary: Response to the International Fuzzy Bathrobe Day prompt on the 3daychallenge LJ comm.





	False Alarm

"Move, move, move."

Rodney's dulcet tones made Radek look up from his work to see the hapless Dr. Jorgenson being shoved aside. Unshaven and practically growling, Rodney stormed into the corridor with a serious case of bedhead and the hem of a threadbare black robe flapping behind him. The robe covered a T-shirt and boxers, and his feet were shoved into loosely laced boots.

"There you are," Radek said, trying not to stare at the dark lovebite low on Rodney's neck. "The fire suppression system has been triggered in at least four sections of the city. No evidence of combustion--"

"Any other residential areas?" Rodney snapped, one hand on a hip, the other scrubbing through his wild hair.

"Just this one," Radek said, nodding at the lock-down barrier in front of them.

"And you haven't managed to open it yet?" Rodney said, leaning over Radek's shoulder to peer at the control panel. 

Radek snorted, and carefully moved the probe back into the control panel. One last bypass, and--hah!--the barrier rose into the ceiling above them.

"We've got the breathing gear," Major Lorne yelled just then, jogging over with Colonel Sheppard and a team of Marines behind him. Sheppard shot a harried glance at the transporter at the end of the corridor and tapped at his radio.

"This is Sheppard. Where are my medical teams?" 

The evacuation was a blur. A few odd moments stood out--the breathing mask cutting painfully into the top of Radek's nose, Ronon Dex carrying an enormous Marine cradled in his arms like a baby. There was the weight of an arm over his shoulders, an unconscious man draped between him and Rodney. Lieutenant Cadman, nude and pale and sprawled on the floor of her quarters, and the too-sweet smell of the suppression gas.

Finally they were done, Colonel Sheppard dragging them both out into fresh air. 

"Okay?" Sheppard asked, eyes darting between them, his hand sliding over the edge of Rodney's untied robe to the well-worn T-shirt beneath. 

"We're fine. Go. Go!" Rodney said. His fingers tangled with Sheppard's when he pushed him away, and Radek could only nod. Sheppard jogged off, one hand on his radio and the other pulling up his trousers. Baggy sweatpants, Radek realized, a little too big for him, and another sign of the frantic night they'd had.

Radek propped himself against the wall, the tickle in his throat blooming into a full-blown cough. He slid tiredly down to the floor, the tightness in his lungs starting to burn. A cough wracked him, and then another.

A hand on his shoulder made him start. Dr. Biro was frowning down at him, an oxygen mask in her hands. "You breathed some of the suppression gas, didn't you?" She slipped the mask over his nose and mouth, shaking her head in resignation.

Rodney slid down beside him, sweaty and pale. His head hit the wall behind them with a thump that made Radek wince. 

"I feel like throwing up," he said. Radek breathed the too-dry oxygen and nodded, trying not to laugh.

*

A day later and the infirmary was no longer controlled chaos. Carson and Dr. Biro were looking less stressed, and the mildest cases like Radek's had already been released. 

Elizabeth was wearing her worried face, her arms crossed beneath her breasts. 

Colonel Sheppard lifted an eyebrow. "It's your show, Rodney."

"We've gone over the logs to determine what set off the fire suppression system," Rodney said, glancing over at Radek for confirmation. "And we've determined that there was no malfunction."

Elizabeth's forehead went deep and furrowed. "There were no fires to suppress, Rodney. How is that not a malfunction?"

"It is true," Radek said. "Atlantis was...fooled, you might say."

"Sabotage?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes going wide and dark.

"It wasn't sabotage," Rodney said. "It was an accident." He led them over to one of the hospital beds, where a young Marine lay. She was watching them nervously, biting her lip. "Meet Lieutenant Denton. She arrived with the last batch of personnel, just last week."

"Good morning, sir. M'am. Look, I'm really sorry--"

"It wasn't your fault, Lieutenant," Sheppard said. "Don't worry about it."

"Lieutenant Denton has the ATA gene naturally, just like Colonel Sheppard," Rodney said, exchanging a glance with Sheppard. "In fact, the expression of her gene is strong enough to give Sheppard a run for his money."

"Hey," Sheppard protested.

"It's true. Whine all you want--"

"Gentlemen," Elizabeth said quietly.

"I was burned," Denton blurted. "When I was a kid, I was burned." She pulled the sheets aside to reveal burn scars, old but still obvious, splashed across her legs.

Elizabeth gently tugged on the sheet, covering Denton back up. She was frowning. "But--"

"I still have nightmares about it. I had nightmares that night," Denton whispered, looking down at the bed. 

"Denton, everybody here has nightmares," Rodney said. His brusque tone couldn't quite mask the kindness beneath it. "Don't worry about it."

"And Atlantis picked up on it?" Elizabeth asked. "Has this ever happened before?"

"No," Radek said, just as Rodney and Sheppard said, "Yes." Radek frowned over at the two of them. The Colonel just looked bland, but Rodney had the cagey, shifty-eyed look he always got when he was hiding something.

Cheeks flushing bright red, Rodney said, "Let's just say, we've seen tendencies in this direction. It shouldn't actually be a surprise. The Ancients were apparently much more disciplined in the way they interfaced with the city than we are."

"You mean they had sticks up their--"

"I think I understand," Elizabeth interrupted the Colonel, her tone wry. "As far as Lieutenant Denton is concerned, what are our options?"

"I can go back--" Denton started to say, but Rodney barreled right over her.

"We need her too much to send her back. We have too few natural gene-carriers as it is."

"We can lock her signature out of the fire suppression subsystem," Radek suggested. "And perhaps a few visits to Dr. Heightmeyer might be in order?"

"That work for you, Lieutenant?" Sheppard asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Yes, sir," she said brightly.

*

They were alone and walking back to the labs, when Radek said to Rodney, "I don't think anyone would care."

"What are you talking about?" The irritation wasn't quite convincing.

"Your robe is fuzzy and blue," Radek said. "I have seen it more than once, you know."

"And what's the point of this sartorial observation?" Rodney was going for a sneer, but his Adam's apple bobbed nervously.

"Fine, keep your big, dark secret," Radek said, glaring at his friend. "But if you wish to continue in that endeavor, you must be more careful."

A moment of silence passed, and then Radek sighed. "I do not think anyone else noticed. Colonel Sheppard often wears ill-fitting clothing. And a robe is a robe." He shrugged.

"They could send him home," Rodney said finally, his voice the quiet, intense one that Radek rarely heard.

"And we could all be eaten by Wraith," Radek said. "Again, I do not think anyone would care."

A beat, and then Rodney asked, "Do you care?"

Radek sputtered. "Do not insult me, please. I care only if Colonel Sheppard somehow manages to blow up Atlantis while in the throes of sexual ecstasy." 

Radek stumbled, verbally and physically, and they paused there in the corridor, looking at each other from the corners of their eyes. Rodney's cheeks were pink, Radek noticed. 

"If that is an unlikely occurrence, then we need never speak of this again," Radek finished, clearing his throat. "And I have a few simulation results that you should see."

They were back at the lab, bent over Radek's laptop. Rodney poked at the screen. "Jeez, Radek, that's so very wrong it almost turns the corner into being right again."

Radek smiled and let the words wash over him, happily waiting to argue his point.


End file.
